Central-station apparatus for carrier-dispatch systems



Aug. 24:,1926.

J. A. BAUER -CENTRAL.STATION APPARATUS FOR CARRIER DISPATCH'SYSTEMS Filed June 20 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. '24 1926.

J. A. BAUER 7 CENTRAL s'T'm n 'ArPARATus FOR CARRIER-DISPATCH SYSTEMS 137116721607" Johflvdi'Ba/uer.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 24, 1926'. I J. A. BAUER CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS FOR CARRIER DISPATCH SYSTEMS 3 SheetsSheet '5 Filed June 20, 1924 Patented Aug. 24, 192%.

area STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CENTRAL-STATION APPARATUS FOR CARRIER-DISPATCH SYSTEMS.

Application filed June 20, 1924.

This invention pertains to carrier dispatch systems and relates more particularly to the central station apparatus of such a system.

As ordinarily designed the incoming carriers are delivered directly to the desk at which the cashiers, authorizers, dispatchers, etc., are stationed, the cash and credit carriers commonly being separated automatically as they arrive at the desk.

In pneumatic systems particularly the noise occasioned by arriving carriers and by the operation of the separating devices is extremely disagreeable and nerve wearing, especially in the larger installations, and it is found that operators subjected to this constant noise tire rapidly, thus tending to work more slowly and with less care than were they stationed in a quieter place.

For separating the incoming cash and charge carriers it is necessary to provide automatic mechanism at a point Well above the level of the desk, but in many situations the height. of the only available conveniently situated room or compartment is insuf ficient to permit the installation of such separators thus oftimes making it necessary to make extensive alterations in the building for the reception of the separating devices, or if this is not admissible to locate the entire central station apparatus at a less convenient point.

As each delivery line with its separators and other appurtenances takes up at least as much and usually more room than the corresponding dispatch terminal, the desk must in many cases be longer than is convenient in the available space, while such abnormal lengthening of the desk makes it extremely inconvenient for the operator who is thereby obliged to reach very far in either direction in picking up and dispatching the carriers. This situation often leads to the employment of an excessive number of operators and makes supervision more diiiicult.

The necessarily great length of desk resul ting from the above arrangement has led in certain cases to the adoption of a system wherein the carriers, after the transactions have been performed, are all sent to a common dispatching point where an operator or operators return them to the sending stations, but this is not entirely satisfactory as it. involves additional handling of the car- Serial No. 721,209.

riers, loss of time, and further chance of error.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a central station apparatus having the delivery terminals, separators, etc. arranged at a substantial distance from the operators desk preferably in a sound-proof compartn'ient; to provide efficient means for conveying arriving carriers whether of one class or another from the delivery terminals to the proper point upon the operators desk; to provide for delivering carriers in the order of their arrival and from a larger JOHN A. BAUER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, OF

or smaller number of sending stations as I may be desired to a given unit of the operators desk; to provide for direct dispatching of carriers by the cashiers and charge authorizers; to provide for greater flexibility in the number of operators necessarily employed at any one time, as well as to facilitate supervision; and to permit division of the desk into such units as limitations of space may require.

In the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illlustrated by way of example, and in said drawings- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view of a central station apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section to larger scale substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view partly in horizontal section of a single unit of the central station desk to larger scale than Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. i

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a compartment or room in which the central. station desk is located while the numeral 2 indicates the compartment or room housing the carrier receiving mechanism. While these compartments or rooms are shown as closely adjacent to each other in the drawings, it is to be understood that they may be separated to any desired distance and may be upon different floors of the building or even in separate buildings.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the ceiling 3 of the compartment 2 is higher than the ceiling 4 of the compartment 1. This mode of illustration is merely to indicate the possibility of locating the operators desk in a compartment or room which would not be high enough to house the receiving apparatus, but it is clear that the desk may be arranged in a compartment of the same height as the receiving apparatus if desired.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the numerals and 6 designate incoming tube lines leading from outlying clerks or sending stations. These tubes 5 and 6 are representative of corresponding series of tubes, the others of which are not illustrated in this View. Each tube ofeach series 5 and 6 is provided with suitable power control apparatus indicated generally at 7. The tubes of the series 5 are furnished with separator devices 8 whilethe tubes of the series 6 are furnished with separator'devic'es 9. The separator devices 8 and 9 are provided with cash carrier delivery terminals 10 and 11 respectively and with charge carrier delivery terminals 12 and 181 respectively.

A supporting ttrame 1 1- isdisposed immediately beneath'ithe separators, extending longitudinally of the series; thereof. This frame is furnished with suitable spaced walls providing elongate troughs 1'15 and 16 respectively, the trough being directly above the trough 16,-

An endless belt conveyor is arranged with its upper run 17 within the trough 15, forming a moving floor for the latt61',\Vhil6 the oppositely moving run 18 of this conveyor extends along the trough 16 forming the floor of the latter. While the upper and lower runs of the same belt may conveniently be employed as just described, it is contemplated that the moving floors or the two troughs may be formed by independent belts or othertypes of moving conveyor, if desired.

The trough 151 is divided centrally by a longitudinally extending separator member 19 into parallel channels or guideways into which the delivery terminals of the series 10 and 11 discharge their carriers respec tively.

The lower trough 16 is likewise divided into parallel guideways or channels by means of a separatorwall 20. Chargev car "rier delivery terminals 12 and 13 discharge their carriers into. the channelsat theoppositesides of the member 20respectively. To facilitate the delivery of the carriers by the terminals 12 and 13 the upper parts of the walls of the'trough 16 are flared outwardly as indicated at 21 and 22 respectively and the lower ends of the terminals 12 and 13 are provided with curved guides 23 for deflecting the carriersinwardly into the channels.

Referring particularlyto Fig. 1, the side walls of the trough 15 are furnished with series of spaced openings, the openings in one side wall leading into the receiving ends of corresponding pneumatic conveyor tubes likewise furnished with spaced openings which lead into the receiving endsof pneumatic conveyor 'tubes'32, 33-; 34,- 35, etc. These tubes also diverge from the sides-of the trough. in the direction of movement of the beltconveyor 18, and also preferably lead downwardly to a point below the level of the floor of the conveyor.

At the entrance of. each of the several, pneumatic conveyor tubes, both those leading from the upper trough andthose leading from the lower trough, anadjnstable switch or deflector is arranged. These deflectors are preferably provided with actuating handles 31 by means of which they may be set in either of two adjusted positions. \Vhen such a .deflector'is positioned as indicated at the right hand end of'Fig. 1, it intercepts all carriers moving along in the channel with which it isassociated and causes such carriers todiverge laterally into the entrance of the corresponding pneumatic conveyor tube. If; on the othe1'-hand, the switch ordeflector beset in its other adjusted position, it closes the entrance to its pneumatic. tube and thus permits carriers to move on along the belt until they-are deflected by a switch set transversely of the latter.

The operators desk'isdesignated as ll.

This desk preferably comprises a pluralit of regular operators units, one of which'ds indicated at 86 in Figs. 1 and 3, and may also include special units of which one is in dicated at 37.' lVhilethe several desk units are here shown as in longitudinal alignment, there is no necessity of this arrangement as the various units may be disposed inany relative position and at any desired distance apart which limitations of space or convenience of supervision'may indicate to be desirable. 7

At one side of each unit one -or more authorizers stations are located while at the opposite side cashiers stations-are arranged, As here illustrated, a centrally arranged main authorizers station 38' is provided, with auxiliary authorizers stations 39 and 40 upon either side thereof. Upon the cashiers'side'of the desk four stations designated 41,42, 13 and 14 respectively, are shown.

A .series of dispatch terminals extends longitudinally of the desk; This series is preferably divided into three groups, the first group being designated by the numeral 45. The terminals of this group are preferably fixed with relation to each other and depend from suitable supporting means at a point above the desk where they communicate with the corresponding tube lines leading to the sending stations.

At either side of the group 45, groups 46 and 47 of delivery terminals are arranged, the terminals of these groups being supported at their upper ends in bearings 48 and having swivel connections 49 with the corresponding tubes 50. The terminals of these groups are thus free to swing laterally to a certain extent and the terminals of each group are preferably connected by means not shown to permit them simultaneously to be swung toward or from the central group 45. 7

All of the terminals of the groups 45, 46 and 47 terminate at a point conveniently spaced from the top of the desk and within easy reach of operators stationed at either side of the latter.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the pneumatic tube conveyor 24 is shown diagrammatically as extending to the left hand end of the cashiers side of the desk unit 36 where it is arranged to discharge its carriers into an inclined chute or other suitable distributing device indicated at 51. The pneumatic tube conveyor 27 likewise delivers its carriers to the right hand end of the desk unit 36 into a distributing chute 54.

The pneumatic tube conveyors and 28 also extend to the desk unit 36 where they terminate at points substantially at the center of the cashiers side of the desk.

The credit carrier pneumatic conveyor 32 extends to the left hand side of the desk unit 36 and is provided with a curved terminal 53 adapted to direct the carriers as they are delivered toward the central part of the charge authorizers side of the desk. In the same way the pneumatic tube conveyor 34 terminates in a curved delivery end 54 at the right hand end of the charge authorizers side of the desk unit 36.

The arrangement described with respect to the desk unit 36 is repeated for each of the other regular units of the central station apparatus so that it is unnecessary to describe the latter in detail.

Each desk unit 36 is furnished with a sending box 55 which may conveniently be located below the working board and which communicates with a tube 56, terminating at the point 57 at the spacial unit 37. The opposite side of the desk unit may likewise be furnished with a sending box 58 opening into a tube 59 which terminates at the point 60 at the special unit 37. This unit may for example accommodate operators who pass upon such matters as C. O. D. deliveries,

exchange checks, and the like, and is provided with a series of dispatch terminals 61, 62, etc., corresponding to each of the regular desk units. In this instance the dispatch terminal 61 is connected by a suitable pneumatic tube to a delivery terminal 63 conveniently located upon the cashiers side of the desk unit 36 intermediate the terminals of the tubes 25 and 28.

The operation of the device is briefly as follows. It being assumed that all of the deflectors 30 are arranged transversely of their respective channels, cash carriers dis charged by the live delivery terminals ll at the left hand end of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1- will be diverted into the tube 24 and brought thereby to the left hand end of the desk unit 36 where they are with in convenient reach of the cashier at the station 41. Likewise all cash carriers arriv ing through the terminals 10 of the corre sponding group will pass into the conveyor tube 27 and be delivered at the right-hand side of the desk unit within reach of the operator at the station 44.

The carriers arriving through the next group of five or the tubes 10 and 11 will. be deflected into the conveyors 28 and 25 respectively and thus delivered at the central part of the desk unit within convenient reach of operators at the stations 43 and 42 respectively.

At the same time charge carrier arriving through the left-hand group of ten delivery terminals of the series 13 will be conveyed by the tube 32 to the left-hand of the authorizers side of the desk unit, while carriers from the correspondingten delivery tubes of the series 12 are passed through the tube 34 to the right-hand end of the authorizers side of the desk. Each of the conveyor tubes 32 and 34 thus serves twice as many delivery terminals as the tubes 24 and 27 for example, this being permissible by reason of the fact that the number of charge carriers is usually much less than the number of cash carriers.

If at any time the number of cash carriers arriving at the receiving apparatus should decrease, the switch or deflector device corresponding to either or both of the tubes 24 and 27 may be positioned to close the entrance to such tube or tubes so that carriers from a group of ten delivery terminals will thus be conveyed by the tubes 25 and 28 to the central part of the cashiers side of the desk The operators at the stations 41 and 44 may now be dispensed with, the operators at stations 42 and 43 caring for the entire number of incoming cash carriers. Furthermore, as the cash carriers from both sides of the trough 15 now arrive at a point closely adjacent to each other, a single operator seated directly before the terminals of the tubes 25 and 28 may if desired care for carriers arriving through twenty delivery terminals.

Referring now to the operation of the charge authorizers side of the desk, it may be notedthat the number of delivery terminals served by one unit of the desk may be varied as desired by setting the proper switches or deflectors associated with the lower trough 16. Thus if desired the entire number of charge carriers arriving at the station may be delivered to one desk unit and as the incoming carriers are directed toward the central part of the unit they may all be reached readily by a single operator at the station 38.

As the dispatch terminals of the groups 46 and 47 may be moved laterally it is possible to swing them in toward the main group 45. and to hold them in this position so that one or more operators seated near the center of the desk unit may readily dispatch carriers through the entire series Of dispatch terminals corresponding to such unite Any carriers which arrive at any desk unit and which need the attention of spe e-ial authorizers seated at the unit 37 may readily be dispatched to such unit and are then returned to themain unit for delivery to the sending station through the ordinary dispatch terminal corresponding thereto.

As the receiving apparatus may be located at a distance from theoperators desk and in a sound proof compartment if desired having walls of sound insulating character, the operators are not subjected to the constant noise of arriving carriers and may thus perform their work with less nerve strain than is ordinarily possible. The separation of the desk and the receiv ing apparatus permits the central station to be divided so that its parts may be located most conveniently in the space available, while, the separation of the main desk into units adds greatly tothe facility of installation and supervision.

\Vhile certain arrangements of tube connections are illustrated herein by way of example, it is to be understood that the in vention is not in any manner limited to this construction, but that other desirable arrangements of tube connections may be employed as occasion may demand. It is further contemplated that the invention in its broadest aspects is not confined to a pneumatic tube system but is applicable to other forms of carrier dispatch systems as well.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described having receiving mechanism comprising de vices for separating carriers arriving through a delivery terminal from a clerks station, a desk comprising facilities for making cash and charge transactions and a sending terminal for dispatching carriers to theaforesaid clerks station, said. receiving mechanism being laterally spaced from the desk with its sending terminal, and means for transferring all carriers arriving at the receiving mechanism to the desk.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising an operators desk provided with a series of sending terminals for dispatching carriers to a corresponding series of clerks stations, a receiving apparatus laterally remote from the desk, said receiving apparatus comprising a series of delivery terminals for delivering carriers arriving from the several clerks stations, each terminal being provided with a separator for dividing the arriving carriers into classes,- and means for conveying the separated carriers in independent streams according to class to the desk. I

3. Apparatus of the class described having carrier receiving means comprising separating devices for classifying carriers arrimg through delivery terminals from clerks stations, and receivers common to the several terminals for receiving carriers of the several respective classes, a housing having sound proof walls enclosing the receiving mechanism, an operators desk laterally remote from the receiving mechanism, said desk having sending terminals for dispatching carriers of all classes directly to the clerks" stations from which they originated, andmeans for; transferring carriers of the several classes in independent streams from the several receivers of the receiving mechanism to the desk.

4;. A central station apparatus comprising an operators desk provided with a series of dispatch terminals, a corresponding series of delivery terminals separated from the desk by a sound insulating partition, and means for conveying carriers from the delivery terminals to; the desk.

5. In a central station apparatus carrier receiving mechanism comprising two parallel series of delivery terminals. a belt conveyor receiving all carriers delivered by said terminals, a divider for separating carriers received from the respective terminals, diverter meansspaced longitudinally of the belt at either side thereof for diverting carriers therefrom, a housing having sound insulating walls enclosing the receiving mechanism, and means for receiving carriers so diverted and conveying them to a desk remote from the receiving mechanism, said desk being provided with cashiers andcharge authorizers stations and with dispatch terminals corresponding to the aforesaid receiving terminals, the diverting means being optionally and independently adjustable to and from operative position.

6. In a central station apparatus carrier distributing mechanism comprising. two series of delivery terminals for carriers of different classes respectively, said terminals delivering their carriers in different horizontal planes, superposed belt conveyors for receiving the carriers from the respective sets of terminals, means for diverting carriers laterally from each of the conveyors, and means for transfering such diverted carriers to points remote from the delivery terminals.

7. In a central station apparatus, carrier distributing mechanism comprising separating means for segregating arriving carriers into distinct classes, superposed, oppositely moving belt conveyors for receiving carriers of the respective classes, and means for transferring carriers from the respective conveyors to remote operators stations.

8. In a central station apparatus, carrier distributing mechanism comprising two parallel series of incoming tubes, a separator device associated with each tube of each series, a pair of delivery terminals leading from each separator, a pair of belt conveyors moving in opposite directions, one of said conveyors being disposed above the other, one delivery terminal of each pair delivering its carriers onto one belt and the other terminal of each pair delivering onto the other belt.

9. In a central station apparatus carrier distributing mechanism comprising two se ries of incoming tubes, aseparator device associated with each tube, a pair of belt conveyors moving in opposite directions, one of said conveyors being disposed above the other, a pair of delivery terminals leading from each separator device, one terminal of each pair delivering its carriers to the upper belt and the other terminal of'each pair delivering to the lower belt, and means for conveying carriers from each belt to remote operators stations.

10. A central station apparatus having a desk, carrier receiving means remote from the desk comprising superposed conveyor belts moving in opposite directions, and pneumatic tubes opening at the sides of the respective belts to receive carriers from the latter, said tubes diverging from the respective belts in the direction of movement of the latter and leading to opposite sides of the desk.

11. In a central station apparatus, a pair of conveyor belts moving in opposite direc tions, means for delivering all incoming cash carriers onto one belt and all incoming charge carriers onto the other belt and a plurality of diverting devices spaced longitudinally of each belt for deflecting car-v riers laterally from the latter, the diverters associated with the cash carrier conveyor being spaced nearer together than those associated with the charge carrier belt.

12. In a central station apparatus, upper and lower belt conveyors moving in opposite directions, a series of delivery terminals spaced along each belt and adapted to deliver cash and charge carriers to the respective belts, and a series of diverters associated with each belt for deflecting carriers there from into the receiving ends of conveyor tubes, there being a greater number of diverters'associated with the cash carrierbelt than with the charge carrier belt.

13. In a central station apparatus carrier distributing means comprising a desk hav ing operators stations at opposite sides thereof, carrier receiving mechanism at a point remote from the desk comprising a separating device for segregating arriving carriers in distinct classes said separating device being enclosed in a sound proof compartment, and means for delivering carriers of one class from the separating device to one of the ope "z tors stations and carriers of another class to the opposite operators station.

14. In a central station apparatus carrier distributing means comprising an elongate desk provided with a plurality of cashiers stations at one side and charge authorizers stations at the opposite side, carrier receiving means in a compartment having sound proof walls remote from the desk comprising two series of delivery terminals for cash and charge carriers respectively, independent means for conveying cash and charge carriers from the receiving means to the cashiers and charge authorizers stations,

and respectively, and means for optionally determining the number of delivery terminals serving each operators station.

15. In a central. station apparatus, a desk, said desk being divided into sections, an

operators station at each section, carrier 1 receiving mechanism at a point remote from the desk comprising series of delivery terminals, and means for conveying carriers from predetermined groups of delivery terminals in independent paths to each section of the desk.

16. In a central station apparatus, a desk, said desk being divided into sections, an operators station at each section, carrier receiving mechanism comprising a plurality of delivery terminals arranged in a sound proof compartment remote from the desk, said terminals being divided into groups, means for conveying carriers from each group of terminals to the desk, and means for optionally determining the number of groups of terminals delivering to a predetermined section of the desk.

1'7. In a central station apparatus, a desk,

said desk being divided into sections, a cashiers station. and a charge authorizers station at opposite sides respectively of each section, carrier receiving means at a point remote from the desk comprising separating devices and delivery terminals for cash and charge carriers respectively, and means for conveying cash carriers and charge carriers from the respective delivery terminals to each section of the desk.

18. In a central station apparatus a desk unit having one or more operators stations, carrier discharge devices at either end of the unit and substantially in the center thereof, carrier receiving apparatus independent of and remote from the deski comprising a plurality of groups of delivery terminals, and means for conducting carriers from the respective groups of terminals to the several discharge devices at the desk unit.

19. In a central station apparatus a desk unit having an operators station at either side thereof, a series of dispatch terminals Within reach of both operators stations, means for discharging carriers at the end of the unit, remote receiving means comprising a plurality of delivery terminals, and means for conveying carriers from predetermined groups of delivery terminals to the discharging means at the opposite ends of the desk.

20. In a central station apparatus a desk unit having a cashiers station at one side and an authorizers station at the other, means for discharging cash carriers at either end of the cashiers side of the desk, means for discharging credit carriers at either end of the authorizers side of the desk, and groups of delivery termnials for delivering the proper carriers to the several discharging means.

21. In a central station apparatus carrier distributing means comprising a desk provided With a plurality of operators stations disposed upon opposite-sides of the desk, carrier receiving means independent of and remote from the desk comprising two series of delivery terminals, one for cash carriers and one for charge carriers, means for conveying cash carriers from a predetermined number of terminals to each operators station on one side of the desk and means for conveying charge carriers from a predetermined number of terminals to each station on the opposite side of the desk.

22. In a central station apparatus a desk unit having a cashiers station at one side and an authorizers station at the other, cash carrier discharging means at the opposite ends and in the center of the cashiers side of the desk, charge carrier discharging means at the authorizers side of the desk, a series of incoming lines provided with separators, said separatorsbeing located in a sound proof compartment independent of the desk unit, delivery terminals for cash and charge carriers respectively leading from each separator, means for conveying cash carriers delivered by certain of said terminals to each of the cash carrlers thecharging means at the desk, and means for conveying charge carriers delivered by certain of said terminals to each of the charge carrier delivery means at the desk.

3. In a central station apparatus a desk unit having a cashiers station at one side and an authorizers station at the other side, a series of dispatch terminals extending longitudinally of the desk Withinreach of each operators station, conveyor terminals at either-end of the cashiers side of the d sk, conveyor terminals at the authoriber s side of the desk, and delivery terminals for supplying the several conveyor terminals with carriers.

24. A central station apparatus having a plurality of desk units each comprising an authoriners and a. cashiers station, dispatch terminals, and carrier discharging means, a desk unit for special transactions, means for sending carriers from each of the first named desk units to the special desk unit, and means for returning such carriers each to the unit from which it was sent.

A central station apparatus having a, plurality of regular desk units each having a series or dispatchterminals leading to clerks stations, operators stations at each side of each unit, means for discharging cash carriers upon one side of each unit and credit carriers upon the other side thereof, a unit for special transactions, a special delivery terminal at each regular unit leading to the special unit, and dispatch terminals at the special unit leading to each regularunit.

26. A central station apparatus for carrier dispatch systems comprising a desk, a plurality of delivery terminals, and means normally operative to convey carriers from the several terminals respectively to spaced parts of the desk, said means being constructed and arranged optionally to convey carriers from a plurality of said terminals to a common point intermediate said spaced parts of the desk. 27. A central station apparatus for car. rier dispatch systems comprising a desk unit, a plurality of delivery terminals, and means normally conveying carriers from the several terminals to points near the opposite ends and near the center respectively of the desk unit, the operation of said means being optionally variable to permit carriers from all of said terminals to be delivered near the center of the desk.

Signed by me at Syracuse, N. Y., this twenty-second day of May, 1924.

, JOHN A. BAUER, 

